2015 Award Ceremony

2nd Annual Award Ceremony

Glen Manor House

May 21, 2015

The Portsmouth Police Department held their second annual awards ceremony on Thursday, May 21st at the Glen Manor House. A public swearing in ceremony for our new promotees and new officers (Lieutenant Michael Arnold, Sergeant Mark Mooney, Sergeant Nicholas Arruda, Officer Clinton Spurlock, and Officer Kyle Hurley) also was held at this event.

Distinguished Service Award: The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an incident where an officer’s courage, resourcefulness, tenacity, diligence and/or perseverance in the line of duty goes beyond that which is normally encountered by members in the protection of life or property, the prevention of a major crime, or the apprehension of an armed or dangerous criminal.

Patrol Officer David E. Powers III -

On July 26, 2014 at approximately 3:35 pm, Officer Powers was dispatched to the Mt. Hope Bridge for the report of a female walking on the bridge. Upon Officer Powers’ arrival he observed a 25 year old female who was standing on a portion of the railing on the east side of the bridge. The female informed Officer Powers that she wanted to jump off the bridge and that she had nothing to live for. Officer Powers was able to quickly grasp the female to prevent her from jumping and secure her at the scene. The Portsmouth Fire Department was contacted and transported the female to the hospital for mental health treatment.
Patrol Officer Jack W. Clarke III -
On May 25, 2014 at approximately 4:50 pm officers were notified by the Bristol Police Department of a shooting and a stabbing that had just occurred at Colt State Park. A 23 year old male inside the park had been shot after reportedly stabbing another male. The suspect in the shooting had reportedly fled the scene in an older model red Honda Civic. Officer Clarke took a post on Route 24 north and observed a vehicle fitting this description pass his location. Officer Clarke subsequently stopped this vehicle and observed that a passenger in the vehicle had a stab wound and was in need of medical assistance. When medical assistance from the Portsmouth Fire Department arrived the passenger was moved to be transported to the hospital. Underneath this passenger, Officer Clarke observed a black semi-automatic handgun. The passenger located by Officer Clarke was later charged by the RI State Police with felony assault, possession of a stolen firearm, use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license and firing in a compact area.
Meritorious Service Award: The meritorious service award is given to members of the department who on any given occasion during the year display a high degree of initiative, professionalism and/or bravery during the performance of their duties.

Patrol Offcer Jeffrey J. Cornelisse Jr. -

On October 31, 2014 at approximately 2pm, Officer Cornelisse was travelling to work on Route 95 South between exits 27 / 26 in Pawtucket when he encountered a rollover motor vehicle accident. The vehicle was resting on its passenger side with two individuals still inside the vehicle. The operator was a female along with a young child as a rear passenger in a child safety seat. The operator of the vehicle showed signs of severe trauma to her left arm and was bleeding heavily. Officer Cornelisse stopped to render assistance along with two other passing motorists. Officer Cornelisse climbed onto the vehicle and cleared the glass from the driver’s side window and entered the vehicle. Officer Cornelisse began to assist the child who was approximately 1-2 years of age. The child had signs of trauma to his face and was awake and alert. Officer Cornelisse removed glass from the child’s face area and then removed the child from the vehicle through the back windshield which was shattered out from the accident. The child was then brought to a safe location inside one of the other vehicles to await the arrival of rescue personnel. Officer Cornelisse then returned to the vehicle and extracted the female operator from the vehicle. The female was disorientated and continued to try to reenter the vehicle. At this time a member of the US Secret Service, and a nurse began to render aid to the female operator. Officer Cornelisse returned to the child tending aid to the child’s face area which had minor facial wounds from vehicle glass. Pawtucket Fire and Rescue then arrived on scene and provided medical assistance to the injured woman and child.

Community Service Award: The community service award is presented to a member of the department who makes a significant contribution, above and beyond the ordinary call of duty, to the community service component of the department’s mission. The award recognizes a department member’s diligence, teamwork, perseverance and problem solving ability. It is presented to an officer who exemplifies the highest standards of community policing.

Patrol Officer Scott Sullivan -

Beginning in 2012, the Portsmouth Police department teamed up with the Portsmouth School Department to help raise money and purchase toys for the needy youth in Portsmouth during the winter holidays. In October 2013, Officer Sullivan took on the department’s goal of improving the holidays for Portsmouth’s youth. He started a blog in which he began to solicit the public for help and began to secure donations to purchase gifts. The police union as well as employees of the police department made personal contributions, and Officer Sullivan was able to obtain donations from other town departments, local business, area colleges as well as local families. For the 2014 holiday season, Officer Sullivan, spearheaded the collection drive and raised over $9,000 dollars. This sum more than quadrupled his efforts in 2013! Through the efforts of Officer Sullivan the Portsmouth Police Department was able to assist 132 people and donate hundreds of toys. Officer Sullivan’s actions and effort really made a difference in the lives of so many people this holiday season. The program was so overwhelmed with toys and gifts that Officer Sullivan was able to provide gifts to families in neighboring communities after surpassing the needs of Portsmouth’s youth.

Chief’s Award: The Chief’s award is presented to a member of the department for a noteworthy act in the performance of their duties, or police work that exemplifies excellence.

Lieutenant Michael C. Arnold -

Throughout the past year, then Detective Sergeant Michael Arnold was able to develop several leads into narcotics activity occurring in Portsmouth and the vicinity. Sergeant Arnold’s actions developed leads in the drug connections between Portsmouth and Fall River and led to the seizure of 6oz. of marijuana, 938 bags of heroin, 25 suboxone strips, 46 oxycontin pills and 30 quetiapine pills having an estimated street value of $12,400.00. The information further resulted in six arrests and $4,502.00 in forfeiture money which will be used in the continued fight against illegal narcotics. Sergeant Arnold’s information further cultivated informants for the Fall River Vice Unit who continue to utilize these informants to provide criminal information leading to more arrests and seizures. Sergeant Arnold and the information he provides is considered by Fall River Police Department’s Command Staff as a valuable asset to the city’s fight against major crimes. Sergeant Arnold’s exceptional professionalism and selfless devotion to duty furthers the fight of the Portsmouth Police Department to keep illegal narcotics out of our neighborhoods.Detective Inspector Michael J. Morse-
On January 26, 2015 the Portsmouth Police took a report of a missing 13 year old female. Information revealed that the juvenile had been in communications with a 33 year old male. Detective Michael Morse, who is a member of the State’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, was able to locate and identify inappropriate messages between the 33 year old male and the juvenile. The missing juvenile and suspect were unable to be located and the juvenile remained in danger until Detective Morse developed information that the suspect may be at a residence in Fall River. At this residence, Officers located the suspect who denied knowing where the juvenile was located. A search of the residence located the missing 13 year old juvenile inside the home with the 33 year old male. Both individuals were taken into custody and the juvenile was reunited with her family after being missing for three days. Detective Morse and the Portsmouth Police Detective division were then able to obtain a confession from this male that he had inappropriately touched the juvenile as well as provided the juvenile with drugs and alcohol. This male was subsequently charged with 2nd degree child molestation, indecent solicitation of a child and contributing to a delinquency of a minor